Post by Pacelli on May 3, 2018 23:42:12 GMT -5
The following on The Apostolicity of the Church is taken from The Handbook of the Christian Religion, Rev. W. Wilmers, S.J., 1891, all emphasis added.
The full book is linked HERE
From pages 112-113
From pages 115-166
The full book is linked HERE
From pages 112-113
IV. The true Church of Christ is necessarily apostolic. It
must be apostolic in its doctrine and sacraments, both of which
it has received from the apostles; in its constitution, since the
hierarchy introduced by the apostles at Christ s command
must continue forever; in the succession of its rulers, i.e., the
pastors who govern the Church in every age must be successors
of the apostles, who received their mission and authority
directly from Christ. It is apostolicity in this latter sense
that constitutes a visible mark of the Church.
The apostolic origin of the Church s doctrine and sacraments is
less evident than the apostolic succession, which is a patent fact.
And, though a schismatic body were in possession of the true faith
and the sacraments, yet it would not therefore be apostolic as a
church. In like manner there might be a hierarchy in a Christian
community resembling that constituted by the apostles, without its
being apostolic. But if it is once proved that the pastors of a church
are true successors of the apostles, and thus invested with that power
conferred on the apostles, we have an evidence that this is the true
Church of Christ, and that, consequently, its doctrine and sacra
ments are apostolic and true (43). Hence Tertnllian (de praescript.
c. 21), to prove the truth of the Catholic doctrine, tersely argues:
"We are in communion with the apostolic Church, from which we
do not differ in a single point of doctrine sufficient evidence of the
truth of our teaching." To become a successor of the apostles it is
necessary to be received into the body of the apostles into that
body to which Christ gave power to rule His Church. Thus even at
the times of the apostles their successors were appointed (48). It is
by the admission of new members, who take the place of the de
ceased, that the power peculiar to a moral body is transmitted.
Thus the power conferred on the apostles with St. Peter at their
head must be transmitted to the bishops with the pope at their head
(48). But since a twofold power orders and jurisdiction (41) has
been given to the Church one cannot become successor of the apos
tles, in the full sense of the word, not being duly ordained and in
vested with jurisdiction. But jurisdiction is possessed only by those
in communion with, and under the obedience of, the supreme head of
the Church. Hence the Council of Trent (Sess. 23, can. 8) declares
" those incorporated by the authority of the pope to be true and
lawful bishops."
That the Church is apostolic in the sense explained follows
from its constitution.
1. That Church alone is the true one in which is to be
found the power conferred by Christ (37, 41). Now, this
power is to be found only where the body of the apostles
exists; for to it alone this power was committed (42). The
true Church must, therefore, be apostolic in this sense, that
its pastors form one moral body extending from the apostles
to the present time; in other words, that they are true suc-
.cessors of the apostles.
2. That Church alone which is built upon the unshaken
foundation laid by Christ can be considered the true Church
of Christ. But that visible foundation was none other than
St. Peter, the prince of the apostles; and therefore the Church
must always rest upon St. Peter, who continues to live in
his successors. This is precisely what renders the Church
apostolic that the bishops who are in communion w r ith the!
successor of St. Peter form one moral person with the apos
tles who were gathered around St. Peter.
Hence we understand why, from the earliest ages, the see
of Peter was called the apostolic (47), and why union with
it was considered as an unmistakable proof of communion
with the true Church, according to the well-known principle
of St. Ambrose (Enarr. in ps. 48, n. 39): "Where Peter is,
there is the Church."
must be apostolic in its doctrine and sacraments, both of which
it has received from the apostles; in its constitution, since the
hierarchy introduced by the apostles at Christ s command
must continue forever; in the succession of its rulers, i.e., the
pastors who govern the Church in every age must be successors
of the apostles, who received their mission and authority
directly from Christ. It is apostolicity in this latter sense
that constitutes a visible mark of the Church.
The apostolic origin of the Church s doctrine and sacraments is
less evident than the apostolic succession, which is a patent fact.
And, though a schismatic body were in possession of the true faith
and the sacraments, yet it would not therefore be apostolic as a
church. In like manner there might be a hierarchy in a Christian
community resembling that constituted by the apostles, without its
being apostolic. But if it is once proved that the pastors of a church
are true successors of the apostles, and thus invested with that power
conferred on the apostles, we have an evidence that this is the true
Church of Christ, and that, consequently, its doctrine and sacra
ments are apostolic and true (43). Hence Tertnllian (de praescript.
c. 21), to prove the truth of the Catholic doctrine, tersely argues:
"We are in communion with the apostolic Church, from which we
do not differ in a single point of doctrine sufficient evidence of the
truth of our teaching." To become a successor of the apostles it is
necessary to be received into the body of the apostles into that
body to which Christ gave power to rule His Church. Thus even at
the times of the apostles their successors were appointed (48). It is
by the admission of new members, who take the place of the de
ceased, that the power peculiar to a moral body is transmitted.
Thus the power conferred on the apostles with St. Peter at their
head must be transmitted to the bishops with the pope at their head
(48). But since a twofold power orders and jurisdiction (41) has
been given to the Church one cannot become successor of the apos
tles, in the full sense of the word, not being duly ordained and in
vested with jurisdiction. But jurisdiction is possessed only by those
in communion with, and under the obedience of, the supreme head of
the Church. Hence the Council of Trent (Sess. 23, can. 8) declares
" those incorporated by the authority of the pope to be true and
lawful bishops."
That the Church is apostolic in the sense explained follows
from its constitution.
1. That Church alone is the true one in which is to be
found the power conferred by Christ (37, 41). Now, this
power is to be found only where the body of the apostles
exists; for to it alone this power was committed (42). The
true Church must, therefore, be apostolic in this sense, that
its pastors form one moral body extending from the apostles
to the present time; in other words, that they are true suc-
.cessors of the apostles.
2. That Church alone which is built upon the unshaken
foundation laid by Christ can be considered the true Church
of Christ. But that visible foundation was none other than
St. Peter, the prince of the apostles; and therefore the Church
must always rest upon St. Peter, who continues to live in
his successors. This is precisely what renders the Church
apostolic that the bishops who are in communion w r ith the!
successor of St. Peter form one moral person with the apos
tles who were gathered around St. Peter.
Hence we understand why, from the earliest ages, the see
of Peter was called the apostolic (47), and why union with
it was considered as an unmistakable proof of communion
with the true Church, according to the well-known principle
of St. Ambrose (Enarr. in ps. 48, n. 39): "Where Peter is,
there is the Church."
From pages 115-166
IV. The Catholic Church is apostolic.
116 Marks of the Church.
1. We can prove, particularly from the history of the coun
cils, that the present teaching body the assemblage of the
bishops in communion with the pope is morally identified
with that of the apostles assembled at Jerusalem under St.
Peter. For, if we go back from the Vatican Council to that
of Trent, we shall find the same episcopal sees, to which new
ones have been added, dependent, hoivever, upon the see of
Rome. Hence we must conclude that the present teaching
body duly succeeds to that of the sixteenth century. The
same can be shown if we go back from the Council of Trent
to that preceding it, the Fifth of the Lateran (A.D. 1512), and
from that to the Council of Florence, and, finally, to the first
meeting of the apostles at Jerusalem.
2. The Catholic Church again proves itself to be apostolic
by the fact that, as we have already shown (47), the Roman
pontiff is the successor of St. Peter; consequently, the bishops
in union with him are the successors of the apostles in com
munion with St. Peter. Hence St. Augustine (contra epist.
Manich. fun dam. c. 4, n. 5) justly points to this apostolic suc
cession as one of the chief reasons which bound him to the
Catholic Church.
If the Roman Catholic Church is apostolic because the body of
its teachers and rulers lawfully succeeds the college of the apostles,
it follows that the assemblage of the faithful is also apostolic; for
by the fact of its union with its lawful pastors, who are the succes
sors of the apostles, it forms the Church apostolic. The apostolicity
of the teaching body of the Church is to us a guarantee for the
apostolicity of the Church s doctrine and sacraments, and of all its
permanent institutions. For, since the apostolic Church is the true
Church of Christ, and can neither change its constitution nor depart
from the true doctrine (43), it follows that in the Roman Catholic
Church, being the true Church of Christ, there are the doctrine,
sacraments, and other essential institutions handed down by the
apostles.
116 Marks of the Church.
1. We can prove, particularly from the history of the coun
cils, that the present teaching body the assemblage of the
bishops in communion with the pope is morally identified
with that of the apostles assembled at Jerusalem under St.
Peter. For, if we go back from the Vatican Council to that
of Trent, we shall find the same episcopal sees, to which new
ones have been added, dependent, hoivever, upon the see of
Rome. Hence we must conclude that the present teaching
body duly succeeds to that of the sixteenth century. The
same can be shown if we go back from the Council of Trent
to that preceding it, the Fifth of the Lateran (A.D. 1512), and
from that to the Council of Florence, and, finally, to the first
meeting of the apostles at Jerusalem.
2. The Catholic Church again proves itself to be apostolic
by the fact that, as we have already shown (47), the Roman
pontiff is the successor of St. Peter; consequently, the bishops
in union with him are the successors of the apostles in com
munion with St. Peter. Hence St. Augustine (contra epist.
Manich. fun dam. c. 4, n. 5) justly points to this apostolic suc
cession as one of the chief reasons which bound him to the
Catholic Church.
If the Roman Catholic Church is apostolic because the body of
its teachers and rulers lawfully succeeds the college of the apostles,
it follows that the assemblage of the faithful is also apostolic; for
by the fact of its union with its lawful pastors, who are the succes
sors of the apostles, it forms the Church apostolic. The apostolicity
of the teaching body of the Church is to us a guarantee for the
apostolicity of the Church s doctrine and sacraments, and of all its
permanent institutions. For, since the apostolic Church is the true
Church of Christ, and can neither change its constitution nor depart
from the true doctrine (43), it follows that in the Roman Catholic
Church, being the true Church of Christ, there are the doctrine,
sacraments, and other essential institutions handed down by the
apostles.